Competition

The Encore Competition is on the Friday of Encore. The Duo/duet and choreographed solo competition will be held in Hall B beginning at 4:30. The team competition and the solo competition and Hip-Hop team will be held immediately following the exhibitions which begin at 6:30 pm in Hall C.

» Downloadable Rules

2012 Encore Rules for Competition

AMATEUR SOLO AGE DIVISIONS:
6 & UNDER, 7-9, 10-12, 13-15, 16 & OVER

CHALLENGE SOLO and TRADITIONAL SOLOS AGE DIVISIONS.
6 & UNDER, 7-9, 10-12, 13-15, 16-19, 20-29, 30 & OVER

Amateur – This solo division is open to dancers who have not won first place
Challenge – This solo division is open to any dancer, regardless of past winnings. It is possible for a dancer at a competition to dance in both Amateur and Challenge.

• Judging will be based on dancing in a line, rise and shine and/or moving in a circle.
• Freestyle is defined as the dancer’s self-expression using any style or combination of styles in performing their art.
• Dancers may combine drag-slide clogging with buck.
• Males and females will not compete against each other.
• The festival director will select music.
• Callbacks may be necessary. In traditional solos there will only be one level and there and only traditional steps are allowed. The boys will dance against the girls.

Choreographed Solos:

• Emphasis will be on sound, rhythm and entertainment value.
• Any type of music is allowed.
• Male and Females will compete against each other.
• Dancer must use entire stage showing the ability to move with precision footwork.
• Stage props are allowed but MUST BE INCORPORATED into the choreography of the routine.
• Time limit is 1 ½ minutes.

Choreographed Solos and Duo/Duet Age Divisions:
8 AND UNDER
9-11
12-14
15-18
19-25
26 & OVER

CONTEMPORARY DUO/DUET:

• Two dancers (any combination)
• Dance must be precision oriented. No rise and shine or acrobatics.
• Dancers should dance as a couple; hands joined as much as possible and use plenty of arm/couple turns.
• Dancers must use entire stage showing the ability to move as a unit.
• Any type of music is allowed.
• Time limit is one and one half (1 1/2) minutes.

TRADITIONAL DUO/DUET:

• Two dancers (any combination)
• Dance must be precision oriented. No rise and shine or acrobatics.
• Dancers should dance as a couple; hands joined as much as possible and use plenty of arm/couple turns.
• Dancers must use entire stage showing the ability to move as a unit.
• Traditional country, bluegrass, western or hoedown music with or without vocals.
• Time limit is one and one half (1 1/2) minutes.

SHOW DUO/DUET:

• Two (2) dancers – any combination.
• 75% of the routine must contain clogging steps.
• Dancers must use the entire stage showing the ability to move as a unit.
• Costumes and choreography must coordinate with the theme of the routine.
• Any type of music is allowed, bit mist also coordinate with the theme of the dance.
• Props are allowed but must be incorporated in the choreography of dance.
• Time limit is two (2) minutes and this includes stage set- up and take- down.

SHORT DUETS:

• Two (2) dancers – any – combination.
• Judging will be based on dancing as a couple in a line and a rise and shine.
• Couple interaction is strongly encouraged.
• Each couple will be given 48 beats at the beginning to rush the judges, 48 beats to rise and shine and 48 beats at the end.
• Callbacks may be necessary.
• Festival Director will select the music.

Team Age Divisions: Express Yourself & Hip Hop
6 & UNDER, 7-9, 10-12, 13-15, 16-19, 20-29, 30 AND OVER.

Encore Express Yourself Team Category Any type of music will be allowed. Minimum of three dancers. Any type of routine is allowed. In the Friday night competition, if you qualify with star points you will compete in the 2013 Showdown of Champions with that type of routine (which you have listed on your competition registration) i.e. if you do a precision routine in this category and receive star points, you will compete in the Precision category at the Showdown in the particular age division that you are at the time of the Showdown of Champions.

Hip Hop Team Category
HIP-HOP – Street style of dance that includes Hip/Hop and Funk choreography. ACROBATIC TRICKS ARE ALLOWED

Clogging Champions of America and Encore proudly Announces

NEW! STARZ! LEVEL COMPETITION
The Clogging Champions of America is proud to introduce a new level of competition to our schedule of events that will make all of your dancers STARZ!

How STARZ! Level Competition Works
The STARZ level offers all of the same categories and rules you are familiar with in the amateur and challenge levels of competition. The difference is in the scoring.

STARZ! Level makes every dancer a winner!
Contestants will be judged by a panel of professional dance judges. Instead of your score ranking you 1st, 2nd and 3rd against the others in your category, all dancers will place Platinum 1st Place, Gold 1st Place or Silver, based on a predetermined range of points for each place. There will be multiple winners in each age group and category, and all dances will be awarded with no rankings. Score sheets will be available to you following the event. Because you are dancing against the scoresheet and not ranked against other entries, every team will be awarded a Platinum, Gold or Silver Award every time. There will be no posting or ranking of how your scores compare to other entries! Every dancer in the solo categories will be awarded in the same manner. This is especially favorable in some solo categories where callbacks narrow the field and then only 3 dancers can be awarded from the field of many.

STARZ! Level Categories Offered
Team categories: Small Team, Standing Line, Open Line, Precision, Hoedown, Artistic Expression, Exhibition and Traditional Line
Solo categories: Male and Female STARZ level freestyle solos (same age divisions as amateur solos)
No Duos will be competed at the STARZ level

Additional STARZ! Level Awards
At the end of the Starz level competition, the highest scoring Team of the STARZ events will be recognized as STARZ Team of the Day, the highest
scoring male and female will also be recognized as STARZ dancers of the day. There will be no dance-offs in the STARZ level.

Who Should Enter the STARZ! Level of Competition?
STARZ! level is great for a team that is just entering competition and wants the chance to be judged against the score sheet. This enables a team or soloist to receive valuable notes and scores that will help to create improvement as a group or individual. STARZ! level is also great for teams that are regrouping and would like to try out new material, or for teams that just want to participate in a competition and enjoy a great day of dancing, where everyone is a winner! There is no restriction on the length of time that a solo dancer or team can compete in the Starz Division. Any team or soloist can compete in STARZ level in addition to the amateur or challenge level (following CCA guidelines for amateur and challenge levels). There will be more information on the STARZ competitions in the near future. We hope your studio will take the opportunity to use the STARZ! level to your advantage, whether it be preparing to dance in amateur or challenge categories down the road, or just another way of being a part of competitive dance.

TRADITIONAL COMPETITION
Some CCA Events will be offering this limited slate of traditional team and solo 2012 Encore Rules for Competition categories to encourage teams to research our dance history and to work to preserve our rich dance heritage through the use of traditional dance footwork and mountain figures. Three judges will be used with all scores counting and a figure count will be kept. The highest scoring team from the competition will be crowned “Traditional Team Grand Champion.”

TRADITIONAL TEAM AGE DIVISIONS:
8 AND UNDER, 9-11, 12-14, 15-18, 19-25, 26 & OVER

RUNNING SET HOEDOWN:

• Running Set Hoedowns consist of four couples (any number of males and females) in a quadrille set with one active couple who travels.
• All dancers must perform freestyle footwork using drag-slide clogging with no dancers intentionally in step.
• Routine must consist of one opening figure, four different visiting couple figures (corner/partner swings not necessary) led by four different couples, three connecting or break figures (break figure occurs at the end of the progression by the active couple when they return to their home position in the circle) and one closing figure.
• Progression must be on inside of set in a counter clockwise direction.
• Column figures are NOT allowed.
• Traditional Music without vocals is required.
• Dance must be called from within the set.
• 8 minute time limit
• No acrobatics, lifts, pull-throughs, etc.

4, 6 OR 8 COUPLE PRECISION WITH FIGURE COUNT:

• Four couple precision consists of four couples (any number of males and females).
• All dancers must perform precision footwork using predominantly drag-slide clogging with all dancers in step. Progressive step changes are allowed.
• Routine must consist of two big circle traditional mountain figures and four small circle figures with progression to a new couple between each.
• Progression must be on inside of set in a counter clockwise direction.
• Traditional Music without vocals is required.
• Dance must be called from within the set.
• 8 minute time limit
• No acrobatics, lifts, pull-throughs, etc.

SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN:

• Southern Appalachian consist of either six or eight couples (any number of males and females).
• All dancers must perform freestyle footwork using drag-slide clogging with no dancers intentionally in step.
• Routine must consist of two big circle traditional mountain figures and four small circle figures with progression to a new couple between each.
• Progression must be on inside of set in a counter clockwise direction.
• Traditional Music without vocals is required.
• Dance must be called from within the set.
• 8 minute time limit
• No acrobatics, lifts, pull-throughs, etc.

FLATFOOT TRADITIONAL SOLO
FLATFOOT SOLO – NO AGE DIVISIONS:

• Flat foot dancing is a rhythmic, low to the floor individual percussive step with a drag-slide motion punctuated by skuffs, brushes and flatfooted drags and toe slaps.
• Flatfoot dancers will compete in a line, traveling and in a rise and shine.

NOTE: The STARZ! And Traditional categories are not CCA qualifying events and may not be offered at all CCA events. Please check your rules and regulations for each event. There will be a point system kept based on the awards you win in the STARZ! And Traditional categories. The teams with the most points in each category will be introduced at the 2013 Showdown of Champions.

Separate Starz and Traditional registration form available.

» Registration